Bascule-bridge.



No. esula. Patentd Nov. s, |900. M. wA-nnELL.

BASGULE BRIDGE.

(Appuccim med Nov. 1e,l 1899.) (No Model.) '2 Sheets-#Sheet l..

Q 'E/D. S. v .f BY

ATTORNEY we ohms Pnzns cc.. PHofoLlrno. wAsr-l-NGTON. D. c.

No. 66l,ll3. Patented Nov. .6', |900. M. WADDELL.

BASCULE BRIDGE.

[Application led Nov. 16, 1699.)

(Ilo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

wss@ y Slli/o TH: Naam: PUERS 60, PHoroLlTHO., WASHINGTON. n, c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MONTGOMERY WADDELL, OF NEV YORK, Y.

BASCULE-BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 661,1 13, dated November 6 1900. Application Bled November 16, 1899. Serial No. 737,155. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern' Be it known that I, MONTGOMERY WAD- DELL, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, State of New York, have in'- vented certain new and useful Improvements in Bascule-Bridges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to bascule-bridges; and it consists in general of improvements upon that type of bridge disclosed in United States Patent No. 621,466, issued March 21, 1899, to me. The important feature of the invention covered by said patent is the circular track of large diameter formed upon the bridge, which rests and turns in a cradle, the bridge being practically balanced in all positions.

The present improvement relates to the lcation and adjustment of the counterweight and to the construction of the trusses supporting it,with a view to providing large levverage for the action of the weight without interfe'rence with the stationary parts of the bridge or its approaches.

A further improvement relatesto the location of the motive-power devices, the con-` struction and location of a brake for retarding the motion of the bridge, and the construction ot' an anchor or detent for resisting the weight of the live load at the outer `or swinging end of the bridge.

vThese improvements will all be described in ldetail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-P Figure l is a side elevation of the lifting span of a bascule-bridge with the abutting portions of the stationary parts of the bridge.

2 is a plan of the same. Fig. Sis an e11- fla-r-ged plan of the pier. Fig. 4: is an enlarged plan show-ing the location of the motivepower devices and the brake. Fig. 5 is a detail of the brake. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view Iof an anchoring device. Fig. 7 is a detail of Ithe anchor, and Fig. 8 isa detail of the adjusting devices for the counterweight.

My invention, as herein illustrated, is applied to a bridge in which the opening span iis approached at both ends by stationary span-s of the bridge; but it will be understood `that 1the opening span may be at one end of the bridge or may constitute the entire bridge except the land approaches.

The moving span is indicated by A. It is provided with a circular track a of very large diameter as compared with an ordinary trunnion, which track serves as the bearing-surface of the moving bridge. It will be understood, of course, that there may be twoor more of these tracks across the width of the bridge; but, as here shown, two tracks only are provided, one being in each of the said trusses. The tracks rest upon the top of a pier B, the pier being provided with a cradle or cradles for them.

The cradle consists of two nests of antifriction-rollers under each track, the nests being respectively indicated by b b. The rollers, while being free to turn to reduce the friction, are maintained in position by fixed bearings. The nests are located at equal distancesfrom a vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation, so that the weightI of the bridge is evenly divided between them andevenly distributed throughout the rollers; also, a convenient intermediate space is af forded for the motive-power devices. The circular track on the bridge is provided along the middle line of its face with a rack a', which runs in the opening b2 between the rows of rollers in the nests, and between the 4nests the rack is engaged by two pinions m m', which are driven, through suitable trains, by the respective motors M M. With the power applied in this position immediately below the axis of rotation, which, it should be men-v tioned here, is the center of gravity of the entire moving structure, it acts most advantageously, since in applying the power there can be no tendency to force the bridge out of its cradle and there can be no straining or uneven action. For the same reason brakeshoes c d, which are used to retard the bridge at the end of each movement, are located at about the same place as the power devices. 'lhese brake-shoes act upon the smooth faces of the track on each side of the rack and may be operated hydraulically, as indicated in Fig. 5, or otherwise. They are placed vertically under the axis of rotation, where they will not exercise a tendency to unbalance the bridge. To counterweight a structure of this character requires either a very large and heavy mass acting with small leverage or a comparatively small mass acting at greater leverage. The latter plan is preferable where itc-an be utilized, as it lessensthe total weight. and permits of lighter construction. Hence I extend the truss of the bridge rearward and upward, as indicated at A', and mount the counterweight w at the end ot' the extension. When the bridge opens, however, this extension would ordinarily interfere with the abut.- tingportion of the stationary bridge, because such portion must carry its roadway up to a point in line with the circular faces of the tracks, so that the roadway may be continuous through the bridge. To avoid this interference, therefore. I make the counterweight in two parts, as shown in Fig. 2, and make the extension of the truss which supports the parts in the form of a fork, which straddles the abutting portions ot' the stationary bridge and permit-s the movable bridge to swing upward to the desired angle.

In a counterweighted bascule-bridge the combined center of gravity is usually coincident with the axis of rotation; but the calculations for this are someti mes found to be incorrect when the bridge is constructed. Hence for any slight adjustment that may be desirable I have provided means for shifting the position of the counterweight to bring the combined center of gravity to the desired position. To shift the combined center of gravity in a substantially horizontal direction, it is only necessary to add to or subtract from the counterweight; but to shift it in a substantially vertical direction a convenient way is to raise or lower the counterweight. I provide for this by making a part of the truss which supports the counterweight movable, hinging it at w and using a hydraulic cylinder and piston 102 to raise the truss, t-he weight being then supported by adjustable plates w3, inserted between the piston-rod and the head of the cylinder. (See Fig. 8.)

Another feature of the invention is the anchoring device for sustaining the live load at the outer end of the movable span. A low tower t is constructed at the two rearward corners of the pier, the framework thereof extending down through the pier and havinga firm connection therewith. At the top of the tower is a pivot-pin t', passing through an eye fu in a link Q2. 'lhe upper end of the link is hinged to another link c2, which engages with a pin 1J, projecting laterally from the trackframe of the movable span of the bridge. The pin p engages with the link by means of a device (shown in Fig. 7) whereby the length of the link can be adjusted. This consists of two blocks q q', between which the pin is seated, the upper block being adjustable in its distance from the upper end of the link by means of a number of plates r, set in between the block and the extremity of the slot in the link, the number of plates used determines the position of the seat for the pin.

The lower block is adjusted by means ot' the screw .sto correspond with the adjustment of the upper block. As the bridge rises the two pivoted links fold outward and permit the pin p to pass below the top ot' the tower, and the lower link t is provided with a weight v3, insuring the outward folding of the links. When the bridge is closed, any thrust due to the live load at the outer end of the span is resisted b v the links and tower.

llaving described my invention, I claiml. In a bascule-bridge, the combination with the movable span provided with a circular track upon which it turns, of two nests ot' rollers upon which the track rests and moves, said nests being located upon opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the axis ot' rotation of the bridge, and power devices for moving the bridge located between said nests of rollers, substantially as described.

2. In a bascule-bridge, the combination with the movable span provided with a circular track upon which it turns, of two nests ot' rollers upon which the track rests and moves, said nests being located upon opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of the bridge, and power devices for moving the bridge located between said nests of rollers, and a braking device for retarding the bridge also located between said nests of rollers.

3. In a bascule-bridge, the combination with the movable span provided with circular tracks upon which it turns, said tracks provided along its middle with a rack, two nests of rollers upon which the track rests and moves, said nests being located upon opposite sides of a vertical plane passing th rough the axis of rotation of the bridge, a motor and gearing driven thereby and engaging with the rack at a point between the two nests of rollers, substantially as described.

4. In a bascule-bridge, the combination with the movable span provided with a circular track of large diameter as compared with an ordinary trunnion, said track forming the bearing-surface upon which the bridge turns, of a brake-shoe adapted to bear upon said track, substantially as described.

5. In a bascule-bridge, the combination with the movable span provided with a circular track of large diameter as compared with an ordinary trunnion, said track forming the bearing-su rface upon which the bridge turns, of two roller-supports upon which the track rests and moves, said supports being located upon opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of the bridge, and a brake-shoe adapted to bear upon said track and located between said supports, substantially as described.

6. A bascule-bridge provided with a curved track upon which .it turns, said track being ot' large dimensions as compared with an ordinary trunnion, said bridge being also provided with a forked rearward extension upon IIO IZO

the extremities of which the bridge-counter- Weight is secured, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a movable bridge of a counterweigbt therefor, a truss or frame supporting the connterweight and hinged to the bridge, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a vertically-mov* ing bridge of a counterweight therefor, said bridge provided with an extension to the rear of its axis of rotation, said extension being pivoted tothe main bridge and carrying a counterweight, and means for swinging said extension upon its pivot, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a bascule-bridge, the combination with a movable span of a friction-brake therefor.

10. A pivoted bridge-span provided With a surface concentric with its pivot, in combination with a brake-shoe and means for forcing it against said surface for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination with a verticallyswinging bridge of a flexible link pivoted to the bridge at a point back of the pivotal point of the bridge and anchored at a point substantially vertically below its connection With the bridge substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MONTGOMERY WADDELL.

Witnesses:

WM. A. ROSENBAUM, GEO. S. KENNEDY. 

